Overview
- The CSIRO-led team, with the University of Melbourne and RMIT, reported the proof-of-concept in the peer-reviewed journal Light: Science & Applications.
- The tiny layered organic device charges wirelessly via a laser, converts light to an electrical current, and completes a charge–store–discharge cycle at room temperature.
- Experiments validated the predicted collective effect, showing charging time decreases approximately as 1/√N as the number of molecules increases.
- The prototype stored only a few billion electron-volts for mere nanoseconds, retaining energy for six orders of magnitude longer than its femtosecond charging pulse yet remaining far from practical consumer use.
- Researchers are seeking industry partners and focusing on scaling capacity and extending retention, with early applications likely in quantum hardware rather than phones or EVs.